A Message from Your Business Manager
A Message from Assistant Business Manager, Dale Blank
A Message from Assistant Business Manager, Dave Loechler
A Message from Assistant Business Manager, Roger Erickson
A Message from Assistant Business Manager, Mike Priem
Note from Dave Boetcher, State IBEW Lobbyist
Golf Outing
Notice to Outside Construction/Tree Trimming Members
Comparison of Roth IRA to Deductible IRA

A Message from Your Business Manager

Hello brothers and sisters! The first quarter of the year is complete and we are headed quickly to the end of Local 953’s fiscal year, which is June 30th. I am proud to announce that again, financially, Local 953 is solid.

Effective January 1, 2005 , the dues structure for everyone except Outside Construction, Line Clearance and Manufacturing went to 1.25% of all straight time earnings, which was a reduction in dues for most members. Reducing the dues, results in reducing the income of the Local Union, but I am proud to say that even though the income has gone down, we still have shown a net gain in income each month so far this year. Currently the Local has $1,358,683.79 funds in reserve. One year ago we had $1,273,838.47, which shows you a net gain of $84,845.32. This is due to everyone’s effort to watch expenses and to make proper decisions. My goal is to continue doing what we presently are doing – which is; continue to send people to conferences and legislative meetings, be politically active, organize the unorganized, keep stewards and officers trained and continue to keep expenses as low as possible. My ultimate goal and I know it can and will be achieved while you are on my watch, is to lower your dues again. I told you I would do this when I was elected and I have been working hard, along with my assistants to achieve the goal of reducing your dues further. Please be patient, it takes time because you always want to remain financial strong while you lower dues.

With Memorial Day upon us, I would like to take this time to honor the memories of our members who have passed away this past year. I would also like to extend support to those members who have experienced the loss of a family member. May the memories you shared bring you comfort throughout the year.

Solidarity forever and God Bless!

John Marincel
Business Manager/Financial Secretary

From Assistant Business Manager, Dale Blank

Summer is finally here! Hopefully by the time this newsletter is read the weather will have straightened itself out and we can all enjoy the outdoor activities that we look forward to during the summer months.

Most of us are tired of hearing the word “politics” but it is something we must never close the door on completely. We have all heard the phrase; “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Whether we like it or not, politics works this same way. If enough interested people call or write to their congressman on a specific issue, a particular topic can become a hot issue and something might be done to fix the problem. Now, what number of people contacting a senator is enough? In one of my conversations with one of our Wisconsin Senators, he stated “If one person calls or write on a topic, I listen. If eight or more call on the same topic it becomes a hot issue.” Eight or ten people, that’s not very many people. I believe that most of us have heard this many people or more discussing a particular issue that directly affects us, such as a social security, health care, jobs going overseas, the right to form unions, etc. The problem is we discuss these topics amongst ourselves in great detail, but we don’t take the time or maybe we don’t know how to contact the right people that will listen and might be able to fix these problems.

Find phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses to our elected officials in each state. The next time an issue comes up that interest you, drop those elected officials a message and remember the squeaky wheel does get the grease!

Until the next time…….have a safe and happy summer!

Dale Blank
Asstistant Business Manager

From Assistant Business Manager, Roger Erickson

Do you remember when P.D. stood for Police Department? Ask any Local 953 employee at Xcel Energy today and they will tell you it now stands for “Positive Discipline.” I can tell you after being a “field” employee myself for 20+ years, I have taken a liberty on occasion, (some of you know what I’m talking about), however, if you are not aware let me caution you that since 9-11 and the Enron collapse, more and more employee actions are scrutinized than ever before. Does this mean that all employees have to conform to a slavery type atmosphere? Absolutely not! However, be mindful of your everyday actions and the risk that may go along with it, not only to yourself, but a fellow co-worker.

Construction of Arrowhead-Weston appears poised to begin in early August. MJ Electric is taking delivery of materials and has set up show ups in the Abbotsford area. Xcel Energy has filed a case with the PSC regarding 30+ million dollars maintenance work on its section of 345KV Line. If approved, work on that project may begin later in 2005.

On occasion, I have received requests for training specifically in crane operation from Outside Construction Equipment Operators. Local Union 2150 is in the process of securing a grant to purchase 2 crane simulators, as well as some trainers. Local 953 will be attempting to arrange this training for any interested members in the very near future utilizing Local 2150’s program. If you are interested, please contact me.

Local 953 and Xcel Energy ( Wisconsin ) have been in negotiations regarding a variety of mid-term issues. To date, several meetings have been held with only the Bench Agreement issue resolved. Topics remaining on the Company’s agenda include; a possible (Joint Crew/Trench) Agreement and some form of a seasonal Locator Agreement. Members on the Union Committee include; Pat Grass

(La Crosse Gas Department), Dean Steinmetz (Menomonie OVH Department), Jeff Goss (Eau Claire OVH Department), John Kiesling (French Island Plant), and Tim Hemenway (Eau Claire Relay Department). At this time no further discussions are scheduled.

Congratulations! To Joshua Crist who has achieved Journeyman Lineman status through the Missouri Valley Apprenticeship.

Any member wishing to add your email address to the Local’s address book may forward it to me at rogere@ibew953.org.

Roger Erickson
Asstistant Business Manager

From Assistant Business Manager, Dave Loechler

Last week, Business Manager John Marincel and I attended the IBEW 47 th Annual Utility Conference in Baltimore , Maryland . The conference began with Jim Hunter, Utility Department Director, opening the conference. After the introduction, the next speaker was IBEW International President, Edwin Hill. Following President Hill was the newly appointed International Secretary-Treasurer Jon Walters. Other speakers were Bonnie Summers; Executive Director from Blue Cross Blue Shield, her talk was on the history of health care, economics of healthcare, quality of health care and collective bargaining. According to the AFL-CIO website, healthcare is the #1 issue at the bargaining table. This led into the next speaker, the President of the National Coalition on Health Care; Dr. Henry Simmons, M.D., F.A.C.P., his topic of discussion was; ‘Solutions to the Health Care Crisis.’

Political Leaders in both parties agree that the problems confronting health care isn’t just going to disappear, in particular, the rising cost and increasing numbers of American’s without health insurance.

The National Coalition on Health Care was formed to attempt to reform Health Insurance. The Coalition is made up of nearly one hundred of America ’s largest businesses, unions, health care providers, associations of religious congregations, pension and health funds, insurers, and groups representing patients and consumers. Collectively the Coalition is the nation’s largest and broadest alliance of workers for the attempt to reform health care. The National Coalition on Health Care has five principles or goals for a reformed health care system:

• Health care coverage for all.
• Cost management.
• Improvement of health care quality and safety.
• Equitable financing.
• Simplified administration.

To learn more about the National Coalition on Health Care, I strongly encourage members to go on the internet to www.nchc.org.

Dave Loechler
Asstistant Business Manager

From Assistant Business Manager, Mike Priem

In 2001 there was a joint effort between Minnesota Local Unions 160, 949, 23, 1426, and our Local 953, to organize the Xcel Designers and Associates. A Joint petition was filed with the NLRB and when the votes were tallied the Union fell short.

This past April we began another organizing campaign with the Xcel Designers and Associates. Some of the issues of concern are of course economic. They have received approximately 1% increase in wages over the past 3 years. They have been receiving an incentive bonus each year. This incentive bonus does nothing for overtime or pension if your base doesn’t increase. Their bonus is determined on a rating system that is measured on a bell curve. The Company basically states this is your increase, take it or quit! Other issues include seniority, use of personal vehicle, and as of May 3 rd there will be no more overtime after 8 hours of work. Overtime will now be paid only after 40 hours and vacation & PTO will not count as time worked.

Minnesota is also engaged in a campaign with the Designers and Associates in Local’s 160, 949, 23 & 1426 jurisdictions. As of this writing, we are going to keep Wisconsin as separate units, one for the Designers and one unit for the Associates.

We have held meetings thus far in Ashland , Hayward , Amery, Hudson , Eau Claire , Phillips, Red Wing and La Crosse . I wish I could say we’ve had 100% attendance at these meetings, but we haven’t. Our goal to petition for an election was 70% showing interest for each unit. At this time we are short of our goals for both units.

We must never forget that without a union contract, workers have no voice in the workplace. Virtually all rights are left behind when you enter the workplace without a Union !

The Designers and Associates lost their overtime after 8 hours in early May, what choice did they have? They had no choice. I would ask, what’s next?

If you are an Xcel employee and you work with either of these two groups, please urge them to get on board!! Without a Union there is no fairness or justice in the workplace.

Mike Priem
Organizer/Asstistant Business Manager

Note from Dave Boetcher, State IBEW Lobbyist

Whose Health Insurance Did You Have to Pay For?

On May 10 th and 11 th the AFL-CIO held its Legislative Conference for the year. It was a lot of what you normally hear. TABOR is Bad, No Privatization of Social Security, Raise the Minimum Wage, Keep Jobs in American Act (that would require all contracted services purchased by state government would be performed with the US ) and that we need more Democrats in the Legislature to make progress on Union Issues. While I personally agree with most of these issues, they were not what really got me thinking about how ridiculous things have gotten lately.

There is a seemingly mild issue that is starting to come up in the legislature that interested me the most. It is something called the Health Care Disclosure Act. The Act would require the state to collect the names of the employers of those individuals who apply for publicly-funded health care programs, as well as the employer of any person who requests uncompensated care in a hospital. The state must calculate the total cost to the taxpayers.

As of November 2004, Wal-Mart accounted for 3,765 individuals, participating in taxpayer funded health care programs in WI. The estimated annual cost to taxpayers for insuring Wal-Mart workers and their family members was $4.75 million. In addition, Wal-Mart benefited from $21.8 million in Taxpayer-funded economic development assistance in Wisconsin since 1993, with almost all of the benefits granted since 2000.

In 2004, Wal-Mart had a profit of $10 billion, the largest amount in its history and its CEO, Lee Scott, personally had a compensation of almost $23 million dollars. The profit alone of Wal-Mart worked out to $20,000 in profit generated from each employee of Wal-Mart.

13 states have already done similar actions to the Health Care Disclosure Act in the form of Audits and other actions. They all listed which companies were having their employee’s health care paid by taxpayers. In all 13 states, Wal-Mart came out as the number one employer on the list.

When employers don’t offer their workers health insurance, or pay workers too little to afford the premiums, somebody else must pay because people, and their children, need health care. It is the taxpayers who are subsidizing profitable employers by picking up the bill for their health care costs through publicly funded programs, like Badger Care.

We need to know which companies are doing this so we can get our state health insurance programs under control. It is also time to quit sending money to billionaires in Alabama while we pay the taxes for the health insurance for their employees. It isn’t a question that companies like Wal-Mart can’t afford the health insurance. It is purely how much profit can they make while making local taxpayers subsidize their company.

Golf Outing

Satuday, August 27, 2005
8:30 AM
Whitetail Golf Course Colfax, WI (four miles north of I-94 on Highway 40)
$45 per person (includes 18 holes of golf, cart, food, beveragees, and prizes)

18 Hole - 4 Person Teams - Scramble Shotgun Start

Please send us an email if you would like more information on this outing. Open to the first 30 teams, so register early!

Notice to Outside Construction Members and Line Clearance Tree Trimming Members

Due to the work load of Assistant Business Manager Roger Erickson and in effort to better represent the needs of the members, effective June 13, 2005 , Assistant Business Manager/Organizer Mike Priem will represent all Outside Construction Members and Line Clearance Tree Trimming Members. Mike can be reached at (715) 834-4911, ext. #14.

Comparison of Roth IRA to Deductible IRA

Effective Jan. 1, 2005 nondeductible annual contributions of up to $4,000 (less contributions to other IRAs for the benefit of the Roth IRA owner) may be made to a Roth IRA. If you are 50 years and older, you can contribute an additional $500.

General Rules:

For example, Mary contributes $2,000 to a tax deductible IRA. Mary is also eligible to make a $2,000 contribution to a Roth IRA.

Although contributions to a Roth IRA will be on an after-tax basis, distributions will be tax-free if the distribution meets the following requirements:

Distribution is made at least 5 years after the contribution AND the owner:

• Is age 59 ½ or older
• Dies
• Becomes disabled or
• Uses the distribution for first-time homebuyer expenses

Any distributions that are not qualifying distributions are fully taxable except that the individual is allowed to receive his or her basis, the nondeductible contributions, first.

The Roth IRA also allows contributions to continue beyond age 70 ½ and does not require distributions to start at age 70 ½. These features provide additional flexibility, which will encourage taxpayers to participate.

The maximum contribution is phased out for single taxpayers with adjusted gross income (AGI) between $95,000 and $110,000 and for joint filers with AGI between $150,000 and $160,000.

401(k) vs. Roth IRA
Another question is whether taxpayers will reduce 401(k) contributions to contribute to a Roth IRA. The taxpayer will definitely want to take advantage of the company match. Ideally taxpayers will want to maximize their 401(k) and any contribution to the Roth IRA would be an additional investment. Likely candidates for Roth IRA are taxpayers who are capped on 401(k) contributions by highly compensated rules and total AGI under $150,000.

Summary
A Roth IRA provides an opportunity for taxpayers to diversify their tax consequences at retirement, while getting tax-deferred growth. While original contributions are paid with after-tax funds, tax-free distributions from a Roth IRA provide an opportunity for taxpayers to save for retirement on a tax-deferred basis and receive retirement income tax free.

AN1044-0012
Paul A. Woita
Principal Financial Group
Union Alliance Representative
715-835-5113, ext. 111